#tmagp analysis

[thermodynamic-comedian]

i thought everybody saw how different lena and jonah are just in terms of personality but i guess i should point it out anyways. jonah acts like everything is a part of his plan, and everybody involved is just a source of entertainment. he makes jokes only he could possibly understand, he's either amused or mildly irritated by genuine threats, he has banter and witty comments and seems to be generally having a better time than everyone else. lena is never having a good time. she seems to actively avoid everyone, her consistant mood is disappointed and tired, she takes almost personal offense to every joke she hears. she's a killjoy and she's actively trying to get rid of what little personality she has. the only time her demeanor changes is the scene where gwen blackmails her. and it doesn't change into anything smug or amused, it changes into carefully concealed anger and fear, threats just vague enough to be a bluff, she's not dramatically dropping an act, she's revealing just another aspect of herself.

with jonah, it always felt like everything he did was a part of his plan. with lena, it feels more like a part of her training. do you get that.

#physically incapable of not yapping #tma #the magnus archives #tmagp #the magnus protocol #tma analysis #tmagp analysis #jonah magnus #lena kelley

[blueboldandbright]

Long time no see!! Between the hiatus and the strike for Palestine (which I THINK is over now?????) the conspiracy boards have fallen to the wayside. Never fear, they’re back up n running so here’s the board for episode whatever: SPOOKY GRAVEYARD OCEAN THINGIES

#tmagp spoilers #tmagp analysis #jackson’s tmagp conspiracy board #samama khalid #alice dyer #i’m not okay #this is a mess #the vast #mr bonzo #that damn clown

[murderandcoffee]

wait wait wait we've seen this before. we've seen someone ignore the fears so hard that she survived a ritual. sure, alice is flippant like tim, but the way she just ignores and compartmentalizes the horrible things she's forced to witness is so much like basira.

#their personalities don't align much otherwise (as far as we know) but still!! think about it!! #basira (anti)logic-ed and ignored her way out of the unknowing! #tmagp #tmagp analysis #the magnus protocol #tma #alice dyer #tim stoker #basira hussain #bs.txt

[macabresymphonies]

(minor TMA spoilers and general TMAGP spoilers) Having so much time to think about incidents in TMAGP due to hiatus made me realize that all of them, to some degree, contain the theme of "sealing your own fate" or "consequences of greed/hubris".

You see, while I do not believe that TMA had a consistent theme every statement was based on, the overall messege seemed to be that horrors are inevitable. Once you've been marked you cannot escape, no amount of therapy or running can release you from it. I think Michael Crew is the best example of that:

"The thing that chased me, you see, it was an arcing branch of the Twisting Deceit, taken shape to follow me. (...) And I knew within that book was something that could not only release me from my pursuer, but chain my being to that rush of wind and vertigo forever." Michael Crew in "The Coming Storm"

You cannot escape it once you've been marked, only bind yourself to different one and this marking is, most often than not, nonconsensual. Jane Prentiss would run around and infect random people, Not!Them didn't need anybody to come to them before it was sealed and Peter Lukas also tended to just disappear random people just to feed. The fears were very predatorial and active and the victims were selected based on their own fears and anxieties. This is not to say there weren't victims who failed due to their own curiosity/hubris/greed, but I think it's telling that few of the most greedy/curious people in the series, Mikaele Salesa and Jurgen Leitner, stayed largely uncorrupted by the fears not cause they avoided interacting with them, but simply avoided getting marked by them.

Now we come to protocol and every incident so far has the main subject of that incident actively engage with the horror and have one or multiple points at which they could stop and leave, but they do not. Daria went to the tattoo shop on her own accord, Harriet wanted her husband back no matter what and even Dr Webber was described to be able to leave the garden whenever he wanted, but, due to hiding from authorities, chose to stay until it was too late for him. Every incident so far seems to have this theme of consent, characters detailing very clearly that consent was given to engage with the abnormality:

"Ah well that’s a tricky one. Sort of? In many ways he stabbed himself on me. By the time he saw the needles we were already very close. Close enough to smell his sweat and cheap aftershave. In fact, he barely had time to be afraid before we embraced. He’s terrified now of course…" Needles in "Introductions"

"The young man's interview was not exceptional as he had no experience in charity work, no driving license nor any demonstrable experience in retail. He claimed however, to know the Hilltop Centre better than anyone and as he was the only applicant in the role I elected to give him a try." Dianne Margolis in "Give and Take"

"I hesitated a moment but before I could consider her strangeness a particularly high tide of color swept down the corridor toward me. I panicked, and before I realized what I was doing I had darted inside the lift and slammed the close-door button." Terrance Stevens in "Running on Empty"

It does not matter some of these are under duress or deception, all of them contain some type of action "confirming" consent. Mind you I do not believe all the victims of of these horrors confirm consent in some way, like people who get killed by Bonzo probably didn't agree to it (though considering he's most likely a hitman, some degree of "you agreed to this by overstepping your boundaries" philosophy could be applied), but subjects of the incident very much pay for consequences of their own actions.

That brings us to OIRA itself, and how every character so far seems to actively dig themselves deeper by their own accord, Gwen wants position of power, Colin wants to figure out the system, Sam wants to know why he wasn't chosen and Alice is in it for the money (for her brother which still counts as consent). This is literally said directly to us in episode 1:

"If you hate working here so completely, you are perfectly within your rights to resign. No one is forcing you to stay here." Lena to Gwen in "First Shift"

All of this, all this horror is happening due to their own accord, curiosity, obligation, greed for knowledge or just for the money, it does not matter, the choice is there, but they delve deeper anyway. We will see how long it holds up, but I will be on the look out for this theme in the future.

#the magnus protocol #the magnus archives #tmagp spoilers #tmagp #tma #magnus pod #alice dyer #samama khalid #colin becher #tmagp theory #tmagp analysis #lena kelley #gwen bouchard #michael crew

[cult-of-the-eye]

it's interesting how we now in tmagp get glimpses of more sides of the story - alison leshi is insinuated to have replied to gordie, the police officer on the phone speaks to needles etc etc but in tma, the statements are pretty much just one person's account.

#the ambiguity of how and why we're hearing this #makes it so much scarier i think #tma #the magnus archives #tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmagp meta #tmagp analysis

[its-your-mind]

*deep breath in*

the fears 👏 have always 👏 been (in one way or another) 👏 parallel 👏 to 👏 desire 👏

let me explain.

so many of the statements given by actual avatars center around some sort of need that was met by their entity. Lots of them even had a positive relationship with the fear that drove them.

Jane Prentiss is an excellent example - the Corruption has always been about a form of toxic and possessive love, but she personally has a deep desire to be “fully consumed by what loves her,” and finds a perverse joy and relief at allowing herself to be a home

Jude Perry is another - she fucking loved watching people’s lives be utterly destroyed. The Desolation only offered her a power of destruction on a grander scale, and then gave her a more intense rush of joy as she did its work. When she tells Jon that he needs to feed the Eye before it feeds on him, it’s almost as an afterthought; she was happily feeding the Desolation long before it burned her into a new existence.

Simon Fairchild. Every time that old loose bag of bones wanders into the picture, he is having a fucking EXCELLENT time playing with the Vast. He loves showing people their own insignificance, and he loves luring them into situations where he can throw them into the void as he smiles and waves.

Peter Lukas (hell, the whole Lukas family (except Evan. RIP Evan.)) hated. people. all he wanted was for them all to go away, to leave him alone. The Lonely only fulfilled that desire.

Daisy, Trevor, and Julia, all devoted to hunting those things they deemed monstrous.

Melanie, holding tight to that bullet in her leg because on some level, she wanted it. It felt good, it felt right, it felt like it fit right alongside the anger and spite that drove her to success.

Annabelle Cane first encountered the Web when she was a child, running away from home in order to tug on her parents’ heartstrings in just the right way to have them wrapped around her little finger. Later on she volunteered to be the subject of an ESP study. Hell, she’s the one who dangled the “Is it really You that wants this?” question over Jon’s head in S4.

And that brings us to Jon, beloved Jarchivist, the Voice that Opened the Door. Ever since he was a child targeted by the Web, he was looking for answers. He joined the Magnus Institute’s Research Department looking for them, he stalked his coworkers in search for them, he broke into Gertrude’s flat and laptop out of desperation for them. And when he realized that all he had to do was Ask to get truthful answers to his questions? It was only natural for him to jump at that opportunity.

Elias told S3 Jon that he did want this, that he chose it, that at every crossroads he kept pushing onwards, and the inner turmoil that caused was one of the focal points for Jon’s character through the rest of the podcast.

There’s a certain line of thinking in many circles about the power of the Devil: he’s not able to create anything new. All he’s able to do is twist and warp that which was already present, making it something ugly and profane while still maintaining the facade of something desirable.

Jon didn’t choose the Eye. But he did wander into its realm of power, exhibiting exactly the qualities it was most capable of hijacking and warping to its own ends. Jon didn’t choose the Apocalypse. But Jonah picked at him little by little, pointing him towards each Fear individually. Jon didn’t want to release the Fears. But the Web tugged on his strings just so and laid a pretty trail for him to follow until he reached its desired conclusion.

Jon didn’t choose ultimate power, or omniscience, or even his own role as Head Archivist. But he said “yes” to the right (wrong?) orders and kept on pushing for the right (wrong?) answers. He wanted to succeed at the work he had been assigned. He wanted to protect his friends. He wanted to rescue them when they were lost. He wanted to prevent the apocalypse, to save the world. He wanted to know why he was still alive, when so many had died right in front of him.

The Great Wheel of Evil Color that is the Entities might not fit as neatly into categories in this universe - maybe there was no Robert Smirke trying to impose strict categories on emotional experiences, or maybe the ways they manifest in the world has turned on its head (goodness knows many of them have been showcased and blended in some very fun and new and horrifying ways so far) - but their fundamental foundations seem to be the same. Hell, in episode one we learned that there had been enough individual incidents to create a distinction between “dolls, watching” and “dolls, human skin.”

Smirke’s Fourteen isn’t going to be relevant as common parlance, RQ said that already, but I don’t think that means the Fears themselves (and their Dream Logic-based rules) are different - I think it means that the levels of understanding, language used, and personal connections among people “in the know” are going to be entirely unfamiliar

#tma #tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmagp meta #tmagp analysis #the entities #robert smirke #smirke's fourteen #mind write a meta post that doesn’t turn into a fucking essay challenge #I literally thought about citing my episode sources here but decided that would get too FUCKING long. #anyway I’m pulling mostly from Gerry’s statement (111) and #and the Big Elias Group Confrontation (92) #and Annabelle’s statement (147) #and then finale - 196 / 197 / 200 #there are other little lines that I grabbed - tbh feel free to ask about anything I’ve said bc I feel like I’m ready to defend a thesis #I’ve been thinking about this on and off for a few weeks since the desire thing started going around #I have an obsession with Themes as they relate to Worldbuilding and now I have subjected you all to it as well #I am serious tho if anyone wants me to pull the specific parts I’m talking about (whether cuz you have Questions or you wanna ref them too) #lmk #my hyperfocus on silly media brain might as well come in useful somehow #aight peace ✌️

[thevoidcannotbefilled]

I think it's really important to understand why Chester and Norris simultaneously are and are not Jon and Martin. The first statement gives a good hint about it, where they're only part of them. And now? They're something different. Jonny said that he's satisfied with where Jon and Martin's story finished and I still think that's the case. However, there's a reason why these two voices do have their own names.

I saw a post saying that Alex said the magnus protocol is a question on what makes a person a person.

Are Chester and Norris people? Are they Jon and Martin? Are they simply just echoes of emotions left behind? Can they exist outside of Jon and Martin and be something or someone else?

So in summary, I find it a bit too rash to fully discard that these are Jon and Martin but also not on board to just call them that over Chester and Norris. In fact, we should be asking, what is the thematic significance of bringing back characters that should be long gone? Especially in a way such as this?

#tmagp #tmagp spoilers #tmagp analysis #chester tmagp #norris tmagp

[felinecryptid]

hoooooooooo boy, tmagp 4 go-

this time its becoming apparent that there are some themes and clues that tmagp wants us to notice, the sections stand out, begging for attention

like the recurring theme of bones, and blood, and gore in general (it might be too soon to tell exactly what themes are leading to, but they are definitely there)

the violin could fit right in grifter's bone with it's affinity to music and violence

(the music feels aligned to circus over spiral or web

tho there are elements of the web what with the mind control, but i fear all fears possess a certain degree of control, as such

the violence feels more of the slaughter variety rather than the hunt, though you could make a valid argument for flesh as the words 'sacrifice', 'payment' and 'creature with needs and purposes of its own' do stick in mind

once again i do not think that tmagp follows the same format as the smirke's fourteen (or 15) , i merely use them as parallels to better explain what aspects of the episode sticks out to me (and for me refer back later on))

as other listeners have noted, another theme that tmagp in general follows, is 'obsession', rather than tma's 'fear'

i feel this is also paralleling (intentionally or not) the audience's own listening habits and motives

we first consumed the magnus archives for its content of horror

and yet we are back for the magnus protocol like we never left, and perhaps

we never did

the statement's first person pov depicts a truly horrific picture of the slaughter, of the violence that the violin demands

and his descriptions of the mania on the audience's faces too

it's eerily reminiscent of the france's dancing plague

enough about the statement, lets talk about my boy sam and his co-workers, and their workplace in general

there's a protocol surrounding the magnus institute? interesting interesting, very similar to the police division daisy and basira were part of, the unofficial supernatural division

is this like the civil servant version of such?

another thing that is interesting; how is freddy getting these statements incidents? like sam asked, how exactly does a letter from the 18th century end up in the system?

i don't think gwen's answer is satisfactory (and we weren't meant to either), sure someone might be updating the archives website for reasons unknown but rarely in magpod is something a dead end, every little thing is a clue, a small part of the larger picture

so how exactly does a letter from the 18th century is in freddy's system?

perhaps an 'avatar' or the equivalent (such people are suggested to exist in tmagp universe, like the tattooist from daria's statement)

or maybe the fears themselves manifest in phenomena that upload relevant content to freddy

colin my guy, still being iconic and not trusting tech, hats off to you, the only real character in the whole show

never trust any piece of technology older than paper

the video of lena that gwen got in the end? weird? yeah, fuck yes, but how did she even get it? is there any sort of personal communication available on the ancient system? why gwen?

i have so many questions and so many more thoughts, but this is already so long, im gonna write a separate post about tmagp so far, in general

#the magnus protocol #the magnus institute #tma #tmagp #magpod #the slaughter #the flesh #the circus #tmagp 4 #samama khalid #gwen bouchard #colin becher #freddy #fr3 d1 #themes #tmagp analysis #tmagp 4 taking notes #tw gore mention #lena kelley

[moss-wood]

I am considering the likelihood that Gwen's "source" is Jonah Magnus, especially given the most recent two episodes (7 and 8).

Now, the episode in which she receives this video file is the only episode thus far with a statement voiced by Augustus (theorized to likely be Jonah Magnus). This statement was one read out from Gwen’s computer, and shortly afterwards, she is sent a video file of Lena’s attempt to kill Klaus.

We have seen that Sam received an email from one “John”, likely to be Jon Sims*, especially given that the email directed Sam to Gerry Keay. Additionally, Gwen’s ambitions are similar to those of Jonah(high status and power, excellence) while Sam’s pursuits are more similar to Jon (Magnus Institute, understanding the significance of cases).

With these things in mind, it is plausible that Gwen’s source, and the email she received with this video file was from Jonah- a helpful push towards her goals. In her confrontation with Lena in episode 7, her words suggest that the video file was not the only information she received: she reveals her source said that those who wanted Lena to kill Klaus believe that Klaus is very much dead.

It is also unlikely that her source is anyone that we have met thus far, or anyone within the OIAR and their connections(due to their belief that Klaus is dead).

*Jon has always been written as John in the transcripts

EDIT TO ADD ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS: Many have observed how strikingly similar Gwen is to Jon, specifically s1 Jon, and though this may seem like reason to believe that Jon is Gwen’s source (as he is also Sam’s source), I raise the idea that this is further evidence that her source is Jonah. After all, it was Jonah (as Elias) who promoted Jon to the position of the Archivist and molded him into a catalyst for his(Jonah’s) own goals and pursuits for power. Perhaps computer!Jonah is doing something similar now with Gwen, even if the current goal may be uncertain to us yet. End edit.

[Apologies if this is obvious or a common theory that I just haven’t seen- I can never tell if I am adding new ideas to the discourse or just reiterating common thoughts/theories]

[[Also, I aim to post my digital string theory board at some point this coming week, as I am on spring break]]

#tmagp #the magnus pod #the magnus protocol #tmagp speculation #tmagp theory #tmagp spoilers #tmagp analysis #tmagp 4 #tmagp 7 #tmagp 8

[wildgeese98]

I want to write down some of my thoughts about Magnus Protocol so far. I am definitely enjoying it. It's really fun listening as the episodes come out and screaming with everyone on here afterwards. I'm having a blast theorizing and analyzing. But my opinion of the show is still evolving. It's early days, but I am beginning to settle on the things I do and don't like about the show so far.

It's inevitable that Protocol will be constantly compared to Archives. It is of course a sequel and will suffer the heightened scrutiny that all sequals are subject to. The two biggest differences I've noticed so far have to do with pacing and characters.

Archives started slow, very slow, and I love that about it. Season one remains my favorite. In my mind nothing will ever compare up to the way the danger slowly creeps into the story, appearing in little drips and bursts until it suddenly explodes and everything gets turned upside down. Protocol has made no attempt to emulate this slow build up. We are almost immediately plunged into the thick of things. I think this was a good choice. As much as I yearn for that season one slow burn there's no way something like that could work now. Not when the majority of the audience is coming in champing at the bit for the story. I just hope they will be able to maintain this pace. After episode 7 things seem to be happening very quickly and I worry that too much might be revealed too soon in an effort to keep everyone engaged. I personally would love a bit of delayed gratification on some of these mysteries, even as I'm frothing at the mouth with curiosity.

As a consequence of this faster, more plot laden pace I have noticed something of a de-emphasis of the statements/cases in favor of plot progressing dialog. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Nor is it something that sets Protocol totally apart from Archives. Seasons three and four had almost as much dialog before and after statements. However I do hope that the cases get some room to breath as the early season excitement evens out. I would love a few episodes that end on a case with little to no dialog afterwards. In some of these early episodes I feel like the dialog has kind of stepped on the cases and lessened their impact. As much as I am here for the plot and the mystery, the statements are what made me fall in love with Archives. Some of my favorite episodes are not relevant to the plot at all. It seems like there is less room for that in Protocol, which I figured would be the case but I would still like to see them allowed a little more space.

Speaking of the cases, my opinions on the eight we've had so far have varied for "oh this is very cool" to "meh, ok". Nothing has really wowed me yet but none have fallen completely flat either. My favorite so far is either Making Adjustments or Putting Down Roots. I'll be honest I have been a little sad about the lack of Jonny written cases. I know Protocol is much more of a group effort, but Jonny's writing is a big part of why I'm here. Granted he has had some hand in all of the episodes. Still there really is nothing like a fully Jonny written episode. Though neither of my two favorites were written by him so maybe I should be keeping a more open mind. It was an interesting decision to front load so many of the guest writers into these early episodes. There are 24 guest writers slated and we've already had three back to back. I suppose with almost a third of the episodes featuring guest writers they will be fairly frequent and It has gotten the audience used to the concept early on.

Side note: I was looking at the list of guest writers and it includes both Muna Hussen and Jon Ware, creators of I am in Eskew and the Silt Verses. I am positively wriggling with excitement to see what they come up with for their episodes.

The other big difference I've noticed between Archives and Protocol is the characters and how they're interacting. We knew already that we would be jumping in with an ensemble already established. It took Archives quite a while to build up to this many regular characters and even then Jon was the Main Guy throughout. Now, despite Sam somewhat falling into the main character role, we have a much more even focus on all the characters. This I think is what is going to truly differentiate Protocol from Archives. Broadening the focus to a whole group rather than just the one guy (as much as we might love that guy) feels like it will open up so many more directions for the narrative to go. We have the potential for side plots and multiple narrative threads happening at once. We are already seeing this play out as Sam and Alice, Gwen and Lena, Colin, and now Celia all have their own separate yet connected things going on. I'm excited to get more of everyone's back story and to see how they all react as the plot puts more pressure on them.

I really am enjoying Protocol however if I am being honest most of my enjoyment is coming from the mysteries and overarching plot rather than the cases. This is a total reversal from my feelings about Archives, where I was mostly there for the individual statements and at first tolerated, then eventually enjoyed the overarching plot. This isn't to say that the Protocol cases have been bad. They just haven't grabbed me like Archives did. There is also still plenty of time for this to change. The problem right now with comparing the two is Archives is a full, completed story and Protocol currently consists of 7 episodes (8 if you're a fancy early access person). It is just too early to fully judge Protocol, either on its own or in relation to Archives.

Overall what really matters to me is I'm having fun and I've got something to look forward to every week. I think to key to fully enjoying Protocol is accepting that it is never going to scratch the exact same itch that Archives did. Still, it has the potential to be its own different but equally satisfying experience.

#Just some of my Protocol thoughts #long post #tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmagp analysis

[thermodynamic-comedian]

another big difference between tma and tmagp is that in tma, the listener is essentially on the same page as jon at all times. you know what he knows, and when he discovers something new, he immediately tells you. but in tmagp, everyone already knows more than you. and they won't tell you. you just have to try to listen in at the right time.

it's kind of tied to tape recorders; in tma, your existence as the listener is justified. it has a purpose. you are the tape recorder. that's why you get to know everything. in tmagp, you're not supposed to be listening. what you get is scattered, contextless scenes, starring people who don't know that you're listening.

and i fucking love that.

#tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmagp meta #tmagp analysis

[cirrus-grey]

A theory:

Category: What caused this incident?

Category 1: Direct interference from the OIAR or one of its affiliates. (Bonzo, Needles, the person who reanimated Arthur Winstead)

Category 2: The location where it happened was marked. (Guy who turned into a tree, the charity shop, the liminal architecture)

Category 3: The victim walked into it on their own. (Violinist, dice guy, finance app guy)

Rank: What was the result of this incident?

Rank A: Net positive. There will be a price to pay. (RedCanary is the only A)

Rank B: Net negative. There is a benefit to reap. (Bonzo, Needles, dice guy, finance app guy, horror movie guy...)

Rank C: Net neutral. This incident balanced itself. (Guy that turned into a tree, violinist, charity shop)

Combined categories have more than one cause. RedCanary (23) went to a marked location, and chose to investigate the symbols they found. Gordon (23) chose to investigate the corpse, but was also affected by the cliffside location.

Combined ranks balance differently depending on whose perspective you take. Harriet (BC) was terrified of her reanimated husband, but Arthur had a balanced experience between being reanimated and losing parts of himself. Daria (BC) had a negative experience with Ink5oul, but balanced their own cost/benefit relationship with the tattoo. RedCanary (AB) had nothing but negatives after going to the Institute... but something else benefited from it.

-

Two notes:

1) Both dice guy and finance app guy successfully balanced their experiences as long as they rode the catastrophe curve between loss and profit. It was only when they tried to break the cycle that the final (deadly) negative blow came. This contrasts with the violinist, who reaped the benefits and paid the price willingly into old age.

2) The trailer with Sam's job interview was marked as Category 1, Rank B.

#inspired by lena's comment on balance #the magnus protocol #tmagp spoilers #original post #my magnus protocol stuff #13 futures #magnus protocol speculation/analysis #queue cause i'll be at work when the episode airs

[ceaseless-bitcher]

THE DICE IN EPISODE NINE WERE MENTIONED IN EPISODE FOUR.

“The stranger reached over and retrieved from behind the log on which he sat an unusually shaped sack. Within it, I could spy an assortment of trinkets, ranging from battered knives and chipped porcelain to fine jewelry, small ivory figures and even a set of gambler’s dice.”

DUDE.

Thank you to my dear friend who suggested we check!

#the magnus protocol #tmagp #mine #magp4 #magp9 #theories #commentary #analysis

[cult-of-the-eye]

Jonathan Sims vs Samama Khalid: A Comparison of Horror Protagonists

I want to talk about the differences between these two and for me, the most interesting one was the idea of agency. At first, it seems as though Jon had chosen to work at the Institute, chosen to take the job as the Head Archivist, chosen to record himself speaking the statements. Obviously we later find out that he lacked agency his entire life but we start off believing that he is in complete control of his actions. Sam, on the other hand, is suggested to have been driven by his past experiences, something outside of his control. He's taken this job because he needs it, who would willingly work a night shift with their ex? And most importantly, he's being recording without knowing. What does that mean for the rest of tmagp? It's not a long shot to suggest that tmagp will be an antithesis of tma, i'm guessing it will follow along in a sort of mirror image. Equal and opposite etc etc. So as Jon slowly loses his agency, which is the main focus of the tragedy, Sam could gain agency, gain knowledge, gain power within this universe but inversely, use it for all the wrong reasons. Jon's corruption arc was rife with moral questioning and what he could possibly do to avert his ending but maybe Sam's tragedy will be complete knowledge of what will happen and the inevitability of tragedy, coupled with an innate need to catalyse it.

#i don't know what possessed me #my essay writing skills really popped off here #should've taken english lit ffs #anyway #tma #the magnus archives #jonathan sims #tmagp #the magnus protocol #samama khalid #sam khalid #tmagp analysis #tmagp speculation #tmagp theories #character analysis #tma spoilers

[my-heart-of-heart]

something something in tma the ocean and sailing were deeply associated with the Lonely but now in tmagp’s first ocean centric case the horror comes from the fact that the sailors are Very Much Not Alone

#tma #the magnus archives #tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmagp spoilers #the lonely #analysis #tmagp 11

[thevoidcannotbefilled]

One of the main issues into trying to get into tma is the lack of balance between the statements and the characters. I adore this slow drip format don't get me wrong, but it led to the statement heavy nature of the episodes needing to take center stage and sometimes as a result being forgotten. It doesn't help that until season 5, all the formats were exactly the same, just a person saying their statement or a statement being read. This isn't to say this format isn't effective, I mean look at the popularity of the show, but you do have an awkward inability to progress plot without a long statement. Season 3 in particular made the statements and post statements feel incredibly separated on the assisant's side of things. Most of the time (with a few notable exceptions) you can change out the dialogue between characters post statement and the statements themselves in any particular order.

So far with the magnus protocol, that definitely is not the case. For one, the dialogue between the characters and the horror findings/statement (not sure what to call them) are incredibly integrated. It at once creates this tension, not knowing exactly when you'll hear the statement and also a sense of experiencing alongside everyone. There's also the formatting. Between three episodes we got an email, a reddit thread, and a therapist session. All of these seemingly fit into the same format, and most importantly, can be a variety of lengths depending on how they want to tell the story. Statements in TMA took up an entire episode and there were no more than one statement per. Now, while we most likely won't get more than one or two, there are options in not only how they're presented but also when and to what extent.

Season 4 of TMA was my favorite for a variety of reasons, but one of them is how they handled the statements. Statements usually paralleled what Jon was dealing with at the time be it loneliness, his own sense of humanity, or guilt. From what I see so far with TMagP, that sort of styling of statements is going to be the entire CORE of the show. The first episode seemed to have the main themes and while I'm unsure of what Daria's session has to 100% do with the cast, there seems to be crumbs of set up there that I'm excited to see later.

To also note, episode 1 is centered around meeting the cast and setting expectations, episode 2 mainly focuses on the statement with elements of the greater cast sprinkled around it. With the new format they can do that and bounce around as needed for whatever structure they're going for of the day. It's a bit more chaotic in that regard. You can't just put a statement on and then listen like for TMA, so you have to pay much closer attention, but I find this structure choice very interesting.

Overall? I'm very interested as to what The Magnus Protocol has in store for us. Just with this new structure, the doors are opened with very different story telling options and to have TMagP have its own identity outside of TMA.

#tmagp #tmagp spoilers #tma #tmagp analysis #the magnus protocol #the magnus protocol spoilers #long post #god I love analyzing the structure in tma/tmagp stuff #theres so much to chew on I missed this